[postgis-devel] GEOS put in a strongly recommended minimum requirement notice in ./configure and make

[Paragon Corporation]

Devrim -- if you are listening -- I just Yummed a PostgreSQL 8.4 using your
super-duper yummer.  Thanks much.

However -- if at all possible -- can you PLEASE upgrade the GEOS to at least
3.1 (3.2 would be better).  I see its still at GEOS 2.3 or some such thing.
People have complained to me about this since it prevents a lot of very
useful PostGIS functionality from not being enabled.


Note -- to PostGIS developers and PSC.  Allowing people to use a GEOS
version that disables functionality without a VERY VERY strong WARNING is
LAME.

LAME for several reasons

1) If I am a software company -- I can't  count on these new functions being
there even if my minimum requirement is 1.5 -- ergo PostGIS 1.5 (Mr.
Hausd..)

2) Poor sap user questions if they are smart enough to notice -- "why can't
I use ST_Cover... or why is my intersects, ST_Union still really slow or why
don't I have the new jazzy buffer features?" 

3) Package maintainer -- "it says it will run with 2.3 -- I'll just run with
the minimum GEOS required, because I like being safe."
4) Testing --- when Mark says  -- "hmm Paul -- you didn't test with the old
version of GEOS did you? this doesn't even compile with the old GEOS -- did
we forget our #IF GEOS_VERSION .... dance"

Okay the #4 we'd have to ban GEOS that disable functionality altogether --
so perhaps that is a bit too strong though it would simplify our testing a
bit - not to mention our code base -- we wouldn't have that silly #IF
GEOS_VERSION < ...

I personally have never heard of a piece of software that lets you get away
with having dependencies that would disable functionality -- aside from
PostGIS.  Or perhaps I haven't been really paying attention.

I have spoken,
Regina